Ohio House Panel OKs Exotic Animal Regulation Plan

Tasha, an Amur Leopard, in Heaven's Corner - an exotic animal sanctuary in West Alexandria Ohio

Animakitty

An Ohio House committee has approved legislation outlining new regulations on exotic animal ownership, paving the way for a full House vote on the measure.

The Senate passed the bill last month. The Columbus Dispatch reports a House panel made several changes before approving it in a 17-4 vote late Wednesday.

The bill now includes more monkeys on the list of creatures that would have to be registered. It also says the authority to expand the list of restricted species would go to the Legislature instead of the Ohio Department of Agriculture.

The Senate must approve any changes before the measure could be sent to the governor. The regulatory efforts took on new urgency in October, when a suicidal owner released dozens of exotic animals near Zanesville.---